Electric change-over switch.



T. JESSEN.

ELECTRK) CHANGE-OVER SWHCH.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.24, 1914.

1 1 52,5 1 6, Patented Sept. 7, 1915.

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COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH c wAsmNcl'roN. D. c.

T. JESSEN.

ELECTRIC CHANGE-OVER SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 24 1914.

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PatentedSept. 7, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED sTA'rEs PATENT OFFICE- 'rnsonon-anssnlv, or AtToNA-BAHBENrEL-n, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO THE FIRM F BLOHM'& VOSS,'

GERMANY.-

Specification of Letters Patent.

KOMMANDIT-G-ESELLSCHAFT .AUF AK'IIEN, OF HAMBURG,

ELECTRIC CHANGE-OVER swI'roH- Patented Sept. 7, 1915.

Application filed February 24, 1914. Serial No. 820,751.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that'I, THEoDon J ssEN, citizen of Prussia, Germany, residing at 16 Handelstrasse, Altona-Bahrenfeld, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Change-Over Switches, of which the following is a specification. p V

This invention relates to an improved electric change-over switch for selectively connecting a feeder line connected with a current consuming device, such as a motor, serles oflamps or the llke, to any one of a plurality of independent supply lines or current sources. I

' The present invention relates more particularly to change-over switches of thetype in which a two-way switch is adapted to make contact with either of a pair of movable selectors adapted to establish connection with the desired supply-line or current source.

The object of the present invention is to provide an instantaneous change-over switch of this type, thus preventing interruption when changing-over the current supplyfrom one supply line to another.

A further object of the invention is to simplify the construction of the switch and also enable ready supervision of the connection established. I

According to the present invention the two-way switch comprises two switch levers cooperating in such a manner that, when the current is changed over, the switch lever, which is in circuit through one of the selectors, is switched off shortly before the other switch lever establishes contact through the other selector with the newly selected supply line or c'urrentsource so I that, at the instant of changing-over, the. 1 current supply lln-es or current sources are.

put in parallel with one another through the arcs formed at the moment of breaking the circuit, interruptions being thereby avoided and the arcs being rapidly extinguished or ruptured during the changingover operation.

The switch lever in the circuit is held in positiOnby current conducting springs and isconnected'by a spring with the other switch lever so that, during the switching operation, the first switch lever first of all remains in closed position, while tensioning the spring connecting the switch levers, until it is positively'switched off bythe engagement of stops on the switch levers, both switch levers being new rapidly moved under the tension of the connecting spring whilethe current conducting springs temporarily' continue to. conduct the current. Each selector preferably comprises a contactbrush, one end of which constitutes a contact face forthe two-way switch, thus. providing a very, simple construction and in suring the least possible resistance within the switch.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood reference ismade to the accompanying drawings illustrating the example. v

Figure 1 is aswitch diagram with a twopole switch and Fig. 2 a similar switch diagram with a one-pole switch. Fig. 3 is a simplest formof the invention by way of side view of the change-over switch partly in section. Fig.4 is a similar view to Fig.

vconsisting of several thin metal strips se-.

cured to the lever b which is rotated by a suitable handle. The brushes a lead the current to the two-way switch, that is to say,

to theswitch levers c which are adapted to bealternately thrown into operative posi-v tion, and from thence to the bracketand feeder line terminal which is connected with the current consuming device represented as a motor in Fig. 1 and as a series of lamps in Fig. 2. The two switch levers c are connected together by means of a spring n and are each provided with a stop 9 on their pivoted ends. The switch lever c is held in its closed position by means of springs m which also serve as arc attractors and engage over the edges of the contact plate of the switch lever a.

Notched segments e consisting of insulated material and being rotatable with the se lector levers Z) secure the selectors against ro tation so long as the corresponding switch 1ever 0 is in closed position, the segments 6 having a plurality of notches corresponding'in number to the number of contacts engaged by a nose 7 on the switch lever 0.. The nose 7 is of such length and arranged at such an angle to the stop 9 on theswitch lever c that it is impossible to switch on the switch lever c which bears with its nose f against the segment 6 or to switch off the switch lever which is in closed position before the newly adj usted selector a'is adjusted onto the middle of the contact (Fig. 5). Springs h.(Fig. 3) at the pivotal points of the selector levers 6, press the buttons 2' into their notches and thus insure proper adjustment of the selectors a. Each selector may take up a position in which the brushes are disconnected from all the current sources (D to D to'enable the'current to be entirely switched off. If

now, for example, in Fig. 1 the motor is connected through the righthand selectorto the currentgenerator D and it'.is to be connectedto the current generator D the'brush a of the left selector which is without current, is adjusted on to the contact II, and the switch lever c is then'changed overby means of a switch handle 70 so that, for example'in Fig. 3, the upper switch lever '0 no longer bears against the upper brush a, but on the contrarythe lower switch lever 0 will bear against the lower brush a.

The insulated switch handle 70 is pivoted on the same axis as the switch levers c and during the switching operationmoves one or other of the levers 0 with it by means of an abutment Z. Since now the lever c which is still inv closed position is held in this position by the springs m, the spring a willbe tensionedon turning the other switch lever. The spring n will continue to be tensioned until the stops 9 collide as in Fig. 4, whereupon the closed switch lever will also be moved. As soon as the contact plate of the lever which has been switched off has during this operation spread the springs m, it will be rapidly moved by the tension of the spring 7 and the are formed at the moment of breaking the circuit during the disconnection will therefore be ruptured as rapidly as possible and the oth'er'switch lever, in case it has not been brought into proper closed position, will be forced into position, the brush being depressed and the springs m then springing over the edges of the contact plate and holding the latter firmly in closed position.

lVhen the contact plate leaves the contact surface of the brush, the springs on undertake the conduction of the current during the movement of the contact plate between the springs and during the formation of the are which subsequently takes place, until the voltage in the circuit during the changing is restored by the new current source switched on through the other throw-over lever, thereby insuring that the contact plate leaves the sensitive brush without current. By the restoration of the voltage in the circuit at the instant of the formation of the arc the latter collapses before it is rupturedby the increasing distance of the contact face from the springs m, thus insuring that the current supply to the feeder line will not be interrupted during the switching operation, but only subjected to a voltage variation.

The arrangement of the two selectors and the two way switch in series therewith in the manner h'ereinb'efore described enables the connection which has been effected through the instantaneous I switch to be easily observed from the position of the switch levers and from the position of the selectors. In the case of multipole instantaneous change-over switches, as many selectors and two-way switches may be combined as there are poles.

I claim:

1. An electric-change-over switch for selectively connecting a feeder line to anyone of a plurality of independent supply lines comprising two sets of supply line contacts, a pair of movably mounted selectors each movable over one set of said contacts,a pair of movably mounted switch members each adapted to close upon and make contact with one of said selectors, means for closing and opening said switch members, said means operating to open one of said members shortly before the other member reaches its closed position, and a feeder line terminal connected to said switch members.

' 2. An electric changeover switch for selectively connecting a feeder line toany one of a plurality of independent supply lines comprising, in combination, two sets of supply line contacts mounted on a support, two movably mounted selectors, each movable over one set of said contacts, a feeder line terminal mounted on said support between said contacts, and a switch mounted between said selectors comprising two pivotedlevers in electrical connection with said terminal and each adapted to close upon one of said selectors, a tractile spring connecting said levers, a stop on each lever, said stops co-acting when one of said levers is in closed position and when the other is nearly change over in closed position, and means for moving said levers alternately into closed position.

3. An electric change-over switch for-selectively connecting a feeder line to any one ofa plurality of independent supply lines comprising,in combination, a multi-sciriesof supply line contacts, a plurality of movably mounted selectors, each movable'over one series of said contacts, a pair of movably mounted switch'members for each pair of selectors, feeder line terminals in electrical connection with said switch members and mounted on said board, a pair of levers pivotally mounted on said board in electrical connection with said terminal and each adapted to close upon one of said contacts, a spring connecting said levers, yielding lugs holding the switch closed against the action of the spring, an abutment oneach of said levers, said abutments being adapted to re lease the levers from the lugs and to collide when one of said levers is in closed position and when the other lever is nearly in its closed position and means for alternately closing said levers.

5. An electric switch comprising, in combination, a switch board, a pair of supply line contacts thereon, a feeder line terminal between said contacts, a pair of levers 'mounted on a common pivot on said board in electrical connection with said terminal and each adapted to close upon one of said contacts, a tractile spring connecting said levers, yielding lugs holding the switch closed against the action of the spring, an abutment on'each of said levers, said abutments being adapted to release the levers from the lugs and to collide when one of said sleeves is in closed position and when the other lever is nearly in closed position, a pivotally mounted operating handle and an abutment on said handle adapted to alternately engage said levers.

6. An electric change-over switch for selectively connecting a feeder line to any one of a plurality of independent supply lines comprising, in combination, two sets of supply line contacts, two movably mounted selectors, each movable over one set of said contacts, a feeder line terminal mounted on said support between said contacts, and a switch mounted between said selectors comprising two pivoted levers in electrical connection with said terminal and each adapted to close upon one of said selectors, a tractile spring connecting said levers, yielding lugs holding the switch closed against the action of the spring, a stop on each lever, said stops releasing the'levers from'the lugs' and co-- acting when one of said levers isin closed positlonand when the other is nearly 111 closed positlon, means for moving said levers alternately into closed position and flexible current conducting elements on said selectors adapted to engageisaid switch members when the latter are in or near their closed position.

7. An electric change-over switch for selectively connecting a feeder line to any one of a plurality of independent'supply lines comprising, in combination, two sets of supply line contacts, two movably mounted selector members each movable over one set of said contacts, a metallic brush mounted in each of said selector members and projecting therefrom, a pair of movably mounted switch members each adapted to be put in conducting relationshipwith one of said brushes, means for alternately putting said switch members into conducting relationship with said brushes and a feeder line terminal connected to said switch members.

8. An electric change-over switch for selectively connecting a feeder line to any one of a plurality of independent supply lines comprising, in combination, two sets of supply line contacts, a metallic brush for each set of contacts, a rotatable handle in which each brush is mounted so as to project at each end therefrom, said handle being adapted to move the brush over its own set of contacts, a feeder line terminal between said contacts, a support connected to said terminal, a pair of switch levers pivotally mounted on a common axis on said support, each of said levers being adapted to contact with one end of one of said brushes, a switch handle adapted to alternately rock said levers, a tractile spring between said levers, yielding lugs holding the switch closed against the action of the spring, an abutment on the pivotal end of each of said levers, said abutments releasing the levers from the lugs and co-acting when one of said levers is rocked, and a pair of currentconducting spring elements mounted on each of said handles, one on each side thereof.

9. An electric change-over switch for selectively connecting a feeder line to any one of a plurality of independent supply lines comprising, in combination, two sets of supply line contacts, a metallic brush for each set of contacts, a rotatable handle in which each brush is mounted so asto project at each end therefrom, said handle being adapted to move the brush over its own set of contacts, a feeder line terminal between said contacts, a support connected to said terminal, a pair of switch levers pivotally mounted on a common axis on said support, each of said levers being adapted to contact with one end of one of said brushes, a switch handle adapted to alternately rock said levers, a traetile spring between said levers, yielding lugs holding the switch closed against the action of the spring, an abutment on the pivotal end of each of said levers, said abutments releasing the levers from the lugs and co-acting when one of said levers is rocked, a pair of current-conducting spring elements mounted on each 10 of said handles, one on each side thereof, a

notched segment on each of said handles and a projection on each of said levers adapted to engage the corresponding seg ment.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my 15 signature in presence of two witnesses THEODOR JESSEN. Witnesses:

ERNEST H. L. MUMMENHOFF, FRANCIS R. STEWART.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. 0. 

